Gwythaints
The Gwythaints are dragon-like creatures that serve the malevolent Horned King, and supporting antagonists in both Lloyd Alexander's fantasy book series The Chronicles of Prydain, and Disney's 25th full-length animated feature film The Black Cauldron. In the book series, they are ferocious eagle-like creatures that were also once under the command of Arawn Death-Lord. In the film adaptation, they are dragon-like creatures instead of birds. In the 1985 Disney animated film adaptation, their vocal sound effects were provided by . Biography ''Chronicles of Prydain'' In the Chronicles of Prydain, the gwythaints are black birds of prey larger than the largest eagle, with red eyes, curving beaks, and talons as sharp as daggers. Arawn captured them long ago and tortured them into his service; he keeps them in iron cages in his stronghold of Annuvin and they serve him out of terror. Reminiscent in spirit to the Flying Monkeys of L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz, the Gwythaints are the eyes and ears of Arawn, spying and bringing information. However, they are not above attacking and do so on several occasions. A Noah-like character by the name of Medwyn explains "Once, long ago, they were as free as other birds, gentle and trusting. In his cunning, Arawn lured them to him and brought them under his power. He built the iron cages which are now their prison house in Annuvin.". The gwythaints are ruthless to the people and animals of Prydain. Besides the sense of oppression they developed, they attacked numerous characters in the series. They inform Arawn of the companions' plans in The Black Cauldron. In The High King, they attack and injure Kaw, the crow, as he spies on Annuvin, and they nearly kill the sorceress Achren, and she is only saved by an "army of crows" so great in number that they drive away the eagle-sized gwythaints. When Arawn is killed and his power destroyed, the gwythaints also die. Sadly, they do not return to their unspoiled state. ''The Black Cauldron'' In the 1985 Disney animated film The Black Cauldron, which is a loose adaptation of the entire series, the gwythaints are drawn to resemble dragons. They serve as the Horned King's minions and dragons, and he sends them on missions to find whatever he is looking for. They manage to find Hen Wen when Taran accidentally let her escape in the woods. Taran sees the gwythaints, and tries to help Hen Wen and fight the gwythaints. However, because the gwythaints are powerful, one of them is able to hurt Tarans with its claws; they capture Hen Wen the pig and take her back to the Horned King's castle. They are later seen on a perch in the castle, while Creeper and the other henchmen celebrate the capture of Hen Wen. One of the henchmen gives the two gwythaints a bone to eat. Everyone, including the gwythaints, appears to be having fun until the Horned King appears in an eerie crackle of lightning. Later, when Taran and Hen Wen try to escape, the henchman named Creeper and even the gwythaints try (without being ordered) to give chase; the gwythaints are chained to their perch, but are strong enough to break the perch free of the stone wall and pursue Taran. However, the gwythaints are tripped up by the perch that they are still attached to, causing a commotion and forcing the henchmen to give up chase for a few seconds. However, Creeper manages to capture Taran, but Hen Wen escapes in a moat, and during this scene the gwythaints are chained up to the wall, off-screen. They are later sent to follow Taran to find the Black Cauldron, which they succeed in doing, and they are chained up again. One of them is killed when the Horned King's castle is destroyed and the other gwythaint is saved by Creeper off-screen. The gwythaint escapes with Creeper, who is laughing madly that the Horned King is dead and cannot punish him, riding on the gwythaint's back and flying away. Navigation Category:Dragons Category:Book Villains Category:Fantasy Villains Category:Cartoon Villains Category:Movie Villains Category:Animal Cruelty Category:Monsters Category:Predator Category:Redeemed Category:Kidnapper Category:Partners in Crime Category:Oppressors Category:Mute Category:Murderer Category:Evil Vs. Evil Category:Adaptational Villainy Category:Type Dependent on Version Category:Opportunists Category:Status Dependent on Version Category:Thugs Category:Military Category:Mongers Category:Scapegoat Category:Pawns Category:Karma Houdini Category:Guardians Category:Terrorists Category:Homicidal Category:Successful Category:Enforcer Category:Chaotic Neutral Category:Nameless